Recent trademark applications suggest models will use the 'EQ' prefix.

It was only about a week ago when we heard rumors of a potential sub-brand of electric models from Mercedes, and now additional details are emerging. It could be called ‘MEQ’ and all the models part of the new family will likely receive the ‘EQ’ prefix as indicated by a few trademark applications made recently by Daimler.

A wide variety of names have been registered, ranging from ‘EQA’ and ‘EQB’ to ‘EQX.’ That doesn’t necessarily mean all of the monikers will find their way on the badge of a zero-emissions car, but it’s a sign Mercedes is intensifying its electrification plans and wants to protect some of the nameplates so that rival companies won’t snatch them up.

Slogans such as ‘Generation MQ’, ‘EQ Boost,’ and ‘EQ inside’ have also been trademarked and most likely these will be used during promotional campaigns to let everyone know it’s not a regular Mercedes powered by a combustion engine.

Leading the way will be an electrified sedan allegedly dubbed ‘EQS’ and aimed to go head to head with the Tesla Model S. Auto Express says it could be unveiled at the beginning of 2017, but sales are not expected to start until 2019. Until then, at the forthcoming Paris Motor Show in October, Mercedes will reportedly unveil a crossover concept which is set to spawn a production version also in 2019 to compete with the Model X and Audi Q6.

Both models will be underpinned by a new platform known as ‘Electric Vehicle Architecture’ which will also be used for another crossover/SUV and a sedan. Besides these four cars, the next-gen Sprinter could go full electric as soon as 2018 if we were to rely on a recent report coming from The Detroit Bureau which cites Ulf Zillig, the man in charge of the VS30 project at Mercedes. By the end of the decade, the company with the three-pointed star logo could also have an electric heavy truck previewed by the Antos-based Urban eTruck prototype.

All things considered, Daimler is serious about electrification on all fronts which is why it has plans to spend ‘significantly above’ the €6.6 billion ($7.2 billion) assigned last year for R&D. The first new pure electric vehicle to be launched by the company will be the Smart ForTwo EV Coupe due to arrive later this year as per a roadmap published recently which also indicates the ForTwo Cabrio and ForFour will get similar versions in 2017.